Hole in the sky?

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Bring About the Undead Apocalypse

I'm several years behind the curve on modern video games. I spent way too long in a World of Warcraft coma and have missed nearly every new release since 2008. I have kicked my addiction however (pending my potential relapse with the release of Cataclysm) and have been going back to check out some quality titles.

I recently purchased Left 4 Dead through Steam. If you're not familiar with Steam, try to keep it that way. If you've got a PC with somewhat decent hardware you're going to spend all of your money since they are constantly having sales. How can you say no to Ghostbusters for only $4?

Left 4 Dead is the best zombie game that I have played to date, and really, it’s one of the better First Person Shooters I’ve played in a long time. The greatest asset to the game is the sense of environment. Everything is dark and typically lit only by your single flashlight. The sound effects are great and really help you feel immersed in the environment.

One of the games biggest downfalls however, is its lack of story and general cohesion. For whatever reason, there are zombies everywhere. Fight through them, get to a safe house, refill ammo and health, fight more zombies. Eventually a helicopter, the army, or whoever saves you.

The game relies heavily on teamwork and is best enjoyed playing with a few friends. You’ll need to work together to survive because the undead horde is relentless. Just about everything gets their attention and you’ll soon find yourself surrounded.

Seeing as it’s nearly two years old now, it’s well worth the price tag of $20. I’m told the sequel improves upon minor problem the first game has, while introducing new weapons and environments. That review may come in the future, but Steam will need to have a sale first.

With any luck I'll never play Warcraft again. I had considered coming back for Ruby Sanctum since I'm geared enough to walk in, but I doubt that I will at this point. WoW is more about playing with people that arn't douche bags to me than it is sacrificing time to get +2 Strength to my sword. The scaling of the gear based on difficulty really pissed me off in WotLK. The changes Cataclysm will bring are both good and bad, but I can't see anything being substantial.Anyway, I hear Wii's Virtual Console calling my name. Super Metroid here I come.